Plan for Consistency Devise a plan and maintain consistency across all marketing outlets. Creating a Corporate Social Media Strategy is a vital step in the process of engaging your business in Social Media. When planning, map out your resources and strategy, with a schedule of consistent interactions on your social media accounts. Just as in real life for downtown pedestrians, your online traffic doesn’t want a flyer shoved at them on the information superhighway– they’ll pass on it, or toss it out at the next trash can. You have to do more than just present information. You must engage users regularly and keep them interested. This consistency builds brand reputation and trust from potential consumers.

Create a Clear VisionHave a clear creative vision of who your brand is and how it will interact socially with internet users and your consumers. Will your brand speak in the first person, or speak in mottos? What sorts of incentives will your users receive by becoming connected with your brand online? Clearly defining your brand’s online identity will help you maintain consistency.

Outline GoalsCreate a basic outline of the marketing goals you have. Driving sales, improving customer service, and increasing brand awareness are all valid goals to have when joining social media. Hopping on board in attempt to match competitors isn’t the most wise choice. Clearly define who your brand is and what it will offer, and pay little attention to competitors.

Measure Success Be sure to have reporting and analytics in place to track user patterns. You can tell if a campaign goal is being reached by the number of brand impressions, the number of fans added and where they came from, and how many interactions with your site users are having by utilizing website analytics.

Define Your Competitive Advantage What is your competitive advantage? Defining how your brand stands out from the crowd is imperative for the success of your campaign value. How will your audience know your value? Consistency and communication are key, and engaging in conversation with audience keeps them interested, while keeping your online presence “alive”, so to speak. How do you give people a reason to stay connected? Incentives, coupons, discounts, and special offers, for starts. These kinds of incentives perpetuate socializing amongst your users, and encourages more users to convert.

Weave a Web, Create a Safety Net Stay connected in more ways than one. Of course being connected online is a no-brainer, but connection on other platforms is important as well. If you have radio, television, or print campaigns going on as well, cross-promote your other advertising platforms. Integrate social media with your YouTube channel of television ads, and be sure to mention your online presence in print ads. On your website’s main page, include links to Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites your brand interacts through.

Dive Right In Social media provides brands a variety of opportunities to develop engagement and community amongst your target audience, and if your organization hasn’t been interactive, now is the time to get started.